How life has changed in Bridgend

Bridgend's population increased by about 10,500 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bridgend increased by 8.2%, from just under 129,000 to 139,000.

The addition of just under 11,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in Wales, while Bridgend remained the ninth-most populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Bridgend was home to, on average, 4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Bridgend

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bridgend increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Torfaen (one of the most statistically similar areas to Bridgend based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 3,800 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15.0% of people in Bridgend are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Bridgend

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Bridgend fell from 10.6% to 9.7% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 52 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 10,313.

In Neath Port Talbot (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bridgend), 15.3% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 17.8% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Bridgend saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

During this period, Bridgend overtook Newport and Merthyr Tydfil to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.

In 2011, just over one in eight (12.6%) people aged 16 and over in Bridgend said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 10.9% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 54.7% to 48.8%.

Powys saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 10.0% to 11.7%).

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Bridgend saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Bridgend overtook six local authority areas, including Carmarthenshire and Swansea, to become the Wales local authority area with the sixth-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.0%) households in Bridgend had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10.4% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 31.7% to 29.4%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 11.7% to 14.2%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in Bridgend, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys and Wrexham.

Every local authority area across Wales saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

In 2011, about 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bridgend said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 11.3% to 8.5%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week occurred in Powys (from 1.9% to 2.9%) followed by Wrexham (from 1.6% to 2.5%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bridgend increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bridgend

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Bridgend was among those who said they had no religion, rising 16.4 points.

In 2011, 39.5% of respondents in Bridgend gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 23.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Bridgend, 59.2% said they were Christian, compared with 76.0% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.2% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism increased from 0.3% to 0.4%.

In Bridgend, 7.0% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.6% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001. Across England, 7.6% of people did not answer, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Bridgend increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bridgend that rented privately increased from 6.2% to 12.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 14.4%, while the percentage of Bridgend households that owned their home decreased from 76.9% to 72.4%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than in nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 10.2%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 8.6% to 14.1%.

Private renting in Bridgend increased by 6.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bridgend residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 13.6% to 8.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (76.0%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 63.5% in 2001. The percentage of Bridgend residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.9% to 15.1%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a slower rate here than in nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 10.5%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bridgend decreased by 4.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Bridgend, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.3% to 9.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.2%) households had only one person, compared with 27.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bridgend which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 40.0% to 35.4%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 9.5%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 7.5% to 9.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Bridgend increased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Bridgend residents that were unemployed increased from 3.5% to 4.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (51.3%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 49.8% in 2001. The percentage of Bridgend residents that were self-employed increased from 5.8% to 6.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 4.5%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 3.5% to 4.3%.

The rate of unemployment in Bridgend increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Wales that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bridgend residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 3.4% to 4.0% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.7%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 4.8%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 3.1% to 3.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bridgend remained close to 4.0%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bridgend

The percentage of Bridgend residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.4% to 6.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 17 (5.9%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.1% in 2001. While the percentage of Bridgend residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 87.1%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to nearby Neath Port Talbot (which remained close 7.4%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 7.2% to 6.9%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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